|
The Episcopal Church of the
Resurrection is a community in which to know Christ and to make
Him known. Our vision is to be a fellowship of disciples,
deepening our own faith, and bringing others to Christ through
the ministry of Word and Sacrament, Bible study, Christian
education and outreach.
|
ECR’s History
Du ring the period of rapid economic and
family growth that characterized the post-war era of the early
1950's, a group of Episcopalians recognized the need for a new
church to serve the North Austin community. They met with Bishop
John F. Hines, and on January 5, 1953, the Episcopal Church of
the Resurrection was established as a mission. Gordon Swope was
assigned to the newly formed mission as Seminarian-in-Charge,
and on January 18 the first Sunday service was held in a vacant
store in what was the Northwest Shopping Center at 5911 Burnet
Road. Twenty-eight people attended that first service. On
February 1, the new mission was formally accepted into the
Diocese of Texas, and three days later the name was selected by
the members.
Services were held in the vacant store for the next several
months, until a one-room prefabricated building was purchased
for the mission. Services were held in the new building until
that Fall, when four acres of land were purchased at the corner
of Justin Lane and the old Burnet Road, the site of the present
church. The building was moved to the new site, and this served
as the church until the present Parish Hall was constructed in
1955. The prefabricated building was then moved to the east side
of the property where it was converted into a house for the
church Sexton. It continues to fulfill that role today, and is
appropriately named Swope Hall.
Additional construction followed: Oxley Hall in 1960,
Billingsley Hall in 1963, Langford Hall in 1973, and the new
church itself, built in 1977. The Youth Group building was
completed in 1980, followed by the preschool/day care center and
the Thrift Shop.
Above: The Old
Gothic Pulpit (1978 - 2007)
Right: First Church Building - prefabricated 1953
|
